Ever after, Ever Beautiful
by hi-way
Summary: It's been a year since the war has ended, all has been peaceful, yet Murrue Ramius still has memories from a fateful day and a wish to herself that she must fulfill to meet and thank her mysterious savior.
1. 1 Secrets of a Heart

**Gundam Seed**

"**Ever After, Ever Beautiful"**

**

* * *

****Preface:**

This fic is inspired by a Filipino novel. It's about a problematic yet optimistic Zaft veteran living in a peaceful colony, Eden. This is my first Gundam fic. Criticisms and reviews are highly appreciated.

Characters (Most significant only):

Noah Amalfi (OC)

- The main character of the story, a Zaft veteran, keeper of the recently found Gundam, Winter.

- 26 years old, 5'11.

- Elder brother of the recently deceased, Nicol Amalfi.

Murrue Ramius

- Recent captain of the confiscated battleship, Archangel, now works as a literature teacher in Colony Eden.

- 27 years old, 5'8.

* * *

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"**Secrets of a Heart"**

_Flashback:_

_9.28 CE, one year after the war where many have sacrificed their lives, others died valiantly, others innocent. Still, humanity has recovered to rise from the ashes of war to make a new beginning._

"Captain, we're suffering heavy damage on starboard!" The navigator of the ship alerted.

"Launch counterattack! Move 300 knots forward!"

The crew obeyed the Captain Ramius's orders, as they struggled to bring their boarded refugees to safety. Her sacrifice needed to be worth it.

"Captain, we've got two Strike Daggers coming in from port and two CGUE mobile suits from starboard!" A crewman informed.

Relief was soon coming as the navigator informed, "Two minutes until we reach Colony Eden!"

"Fire Igetstellung on both sides!" The captain commanded, as they were slowly reaching safety.

**_Bump! _**Four consecutive bumps we're heard coming from both sides of the ship.

"They're too close to fire upon!"

The passengers of the ship were worried with the battle against the rebels, the others were anxious to exit the ship, after four months of continuous combat and travel.

"_At this rate, and with their tactics, they'll be willing enough to kill themselves as well as bringing us down along with them!" _The captain thought to herself.

The shipped was rocked as the enemies started to fire on the ship, the refugees were in panic.

The CGUE units standing on the starboard of the ship exploded as a silver javelin from out of nowhere pierced through both of them, damaging the weary Archangel.

Murrue was relieved at the coming of the mysterious savior, rather than being irritated at the reckless attack of the savior.

"Incoming transmission!"

Without hesitation she ordered, "Send it in!"

"I'm saving your asses for no price, rock the boat to starboard." The enigmatic pilot informed as he was nowhere to be seen, either in the comlink or anywhere else.

"You heard him, turn the Archangel to 160 degrees!" The captain followed the stranger.

The Dagger units were surprised at the movement, the next thing they knew, their mobile suits have already been shot, one got shot by a javelin, another by a beam rifle.

"_Thank you, stranger." _The captain was only able to send out her thanks in thought, for all communications from the savior vanished.

* * *

_Two months has passed since that fateful day, as for many other people, there are one or two memories tattooed on their minds, caused by either sadness or joy. That is the predicament for Murrue Ramius. Every walk back home is on memory lane. _

_**Ring! Ring!**_

As the students exited the classroom, Murrue reminded them, "Don't forget that your haikus are due tomorrow, and explained tomorrow as well."

She tidied her desk and then exited the room as well.

She wore a uniform slightly similar to her old military one, the uniform was short sleeved and in an earthy shade of green, complimenting her beautiful brown eyes and good complexion.

As she walked towards her home, she still remembered her mysterious savior, that fateful day. She succeeded in her humanitarian disobedience, choosing to save the citizens a helpless refugee fleet, even when her superiors ordered her to leave them; to be ransacked and captured. Her heart felt refreshing contentment after that, even after being expelled from the military.

"_It's time I start to make a new life. Not to fight, but to lead this generation into a way of peace; so they may avoid the mistakes our generation did." _Those exact words crossed her mind; those were her words as she separated from her crew.

* * *

_It's another walk down memory lane, bittersweet and nostalgic._

As she arrived home, she asked to her next-door neighbor, "Have you found out anything on him?"

She replied, "Oh, in fact, yes. There's a shopkeeper-friend of mine who, I think, knows him. I was lucky enough to know that she knew about that 'savior'."

She was happy to find another lead, hoping it would be better than the last ones, "What did she say?"

"I think she said, 'Don't tell anybody about this, but there's a secret mobile suit guarding this colony, I know the pilot', or something like that."

"_What a miracle." _She thought with an innocent smile then said, "Could you give me the address?"

* * *

She exited her car, and saw the store. It read, "Nora's Laundry". She knew in the feeling when her eyes crossed with that store, that fate has tied a thread here.

She entered the store, releasing a sigh and asked, "Good evening. Are you Ms. Nora White?"

The mid-aged woman replied from behind the wooden counter, behind her is an automated laundry machine, "Yes, yes I am. Why do you ask?"

"I heard you know about a mysterious mobile suit?"

She panicked, "Damn! Are you from the military? The rebels? Who?"

She seemed confused, as well as having a mark of intrigue, "None miss. My neighbor, Clara told me."

"Damn! Clara promised not to tell anyone!" She replied in a grumpy tone with a pouted face.

"Anyway, I heard you know the pilot." She replied, determined to see him.

"What's it to you?" She said as she pointed to her, keeping a sense of awareness, to protect the secret of the colony.

She slightly leaned back and said, "I believed he saved me once, I'd like to thank him."

"**_Alert! Alert! All citizens enter your homes, the colony is under attack."_**

"Here's your chance."

Her heart raced; part from fear, another in excitement.

* * *

**End of Chapter 1**

**Next Chapter:**

"**Fear and Excitement"**


	2. 2 Fear and Excitement

**Gundam Seed**

"**Ever After, Ever Beautiful"**

_**Chapter 2**_

"_**Fear and Excitement"**_

She remembered her near-death experience, that day when she was seconds away from destruction, nearly leaving the innocents she took in and crew she grew to love, in exploded rubble. That was the part of fear, the ghost of the past.

Still, she hopes to see and thank her savior, the one who made her past mission a success, in the same time, leaving an everlasting memory in her mind. This is the part of excitement, the light of the future.

"Excuse me for a while." The seemingly grumpy owner said as she passed through the lines of clothes then walked into a back door.

She was slowly reaching towards meeting him, every step heightening her heartbeat. Without hesitation and without care, she leaped through the counter entering the door.

It was strange, she saw… nothing! Nothing but an ordinary room, the old lady, vanished without a trace.

She needed to see him, there was no turning back. She thought some kind of passage was bound to be there.

Her eyes crossed through every corner of the room, she needed to rely on luck once again. She decided to run through a vintage style wardrobe, big enough to carry a person.

She breathed in, then sighed and then opened the wardrobe. Everything 'seemed' normal, she touched through the back of the wardrobe, and while resting her knee on the clothes of the woman she was following.

_**Click!**_

This was it. Her excitement took another step forward, the back of the wardrobe opened, leading into a steel chute.

She bravely jumped in, no risk seemed too grave.

However, her blessings seemed to fall back, since there was a greeting of a gun, point-blank in her face.

"Nora, give me a report. What are the enemies?"

There was no response. He needed to go without information, without knowing what he was up against, as well as not knowing what was happening to Nora.

"Let's get started."

A familiar command prompt greeted him with the words…

_General_

_Unilateral _

_Neuro-link _

_Dispersive _

_Autonomic _

_Maneuver system_

"_Let's give them a surprise, Blizzard."_

He activated a set of switches, and a set of messages came out of the cockpit's right panel; namely, "Phase-shift armor activated", "Mirage Colloid activated", "Radar jammer activated", "Weapons armed" and a lot of powerful functions to be reckoned with.

"Noah Amalfi and Blizzard, ready for take off." He alerted the catapult system.

Déjà vu, he'll probably have another rude greeting. It's like if they were connected, connected to share each others experiences.

"You're too curious for your own good, get out of here before I blow your head off." Nora threatened Murrue, not knowing her intentions.

Again, no risk seemed too great, "You don't understand, I **need **to talk to him."

Nothing seemed to appease her, "To thank him? That's quite over-virtuous, don't you think?" She continued to threaten her, "On three, get out. One…"

"Two…"

"_I'm too far to let you go."_

She grabbed her wrist loosening her grip and quickly slapping the gun out of her hand. She was surprised at her move, _too _surprised to react.

As he exited the dock, he saw at first glance, three CGUE units and five Strike Daggers, a larger number of enemies compared to the regular pirate attacks. A chill ran through his spine, a feeling of cold fear, he wondered why as drops of sweat gently slid through his skin.

He engaged, taking out three clustered mobile suits down with his beam saber.

The others were startled at the attack out of nowhere.

He looked for him, he who brings his fear, "Where are you?"

The remaining two daggers responded with rifle shots, but he dodged them with ease, as if they were only flies to be swatted, he vanished again after his agile maneuvers.

He shot the remaining CGUE and hacked the other daggers in two.

An impulse suddenly struck him; a shot came from north, big enough to come from a battleship. If that wasn't enough, the fear finally emerged and launched himself at him.

"Hey, Nora, I need some help here, I need an ID on a mobile suit and battleship attacking me; get the Longsword ready, I might need some help." The familiar voice struck Murrue.

Nora punched Murrue down to respond to the call.

"Sorry for the 'inconvenience'" She seemed to keep calm, she continued, "There seems to be a bounty on the battleship, not much details except for the reward and the looks. No info on the mobile suit."

_Desperate times, desperate measures. _Murrue decided to stand down, "The mobile suit's another gundam of course, by the hooks on the feet, it looks like a Aegis copy or modification, capable to transform into a mobile armor capable of firing a high energy shot."

Nora's distrust hasn't faded, she tried to stop her, "Don't listen-"

"Continue."

Nora suddenly let her guard down enough to let her speak; after all, it may be his life on the line.

While Murrue's felt her heart pacing faster, stronger, upon hearing his voice again.

**End of Chapter 2**

**Next chapter:**

"**Murrue Ramius"**


End file.
